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Thomas Jefferson University recently agreed to sell its painting, Thomas Eakins' The Gross Clinic to the National Gallery of Art in Washington. D.C. and the The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. The painting, considered one of the most important works of art in America, fetched a record price of $68 million. But the deal is unique in one other significant way: it provides Philadelphia institutions 45 days to match the price.
Thomas Eakins' The Gross Clinic - A Town Hall Meeting
On Tuesday, November 28 experts and leaders convened for an evening of information, context and lively conversation about The Gross Clinic, Philadelphia's cultural scene, and the impact this loss may have on our city.
Watch it December 6 at noon, December 7 and 8 at noon and 5 p.m. and December 9 at 5 p.m. on the WHYY Wider Horizons digital TV channel (Comcast 242). Watch this space for details on watching it online.
On the WHYY Arts and Culture Blog The Sixth Square
Eakins Countdown. Read more »
From 91FM News
The Philadelphia art world is racing to stop a beloved painting from leaving the city. "The Gross Clinic" by Thomas Eakins has belonged to Thomas Jefferson University for almost 130 years. Now the school is selling it for 68 million dollars. Local museums are scrambling to match that price, while the mayor's office is trying to block the sale on legal grounds. But not everyone in the city would be sad to see it go, as WHYY's Joel Rose reports. Listen » (originally aired 12/08/06)
Local arts leaders say they'll try to raise the money to keep a masterpiece by Philadelphia painter Thomas Eakins in the city. The painting's current owner, Thomas Jefferson University, announced plans to sell it over the weekend. WHYY's Joel Rose reports. Listen » (originally aired 11/14/06)
From 91FM's Radio Times
We get reaction to the pending sale of Thomas Eakins masterpiece, The Gross Clinic, from Inquirer writer Stephan Salisbury, Julie Berkowitz, former art historian at Thomas Jefferson University, Gary Carpenter, a Jefferson graduate and pediatrician, and Donn Zaretsky, a lawyer specializing in fine art. RealAudio | mp3 (originally aired 11/15/06)
Also available on Comcast On Demand.
From the WHYY archives
From Thomas Eakins: Scenes From Modern Life
On America's 100th birthday, the 30-year old Thomas Eakins set out to prove himself at a mature artist. He prepared for exhibition at the Centennial an American hero of accomplishment and intellect: the Philadelphia surgeon Samuel D. Gross. As he finished his study for what would become an eight-foot-tall masterpiece, Eakins wrote "it is fare better than anything I have ever done." Watch the video »
The committee selecting art for the Centennial Exhibition rejected the uncompromising Gross Clinic as "violent and bloody" -- too real for polite society. For Eakins, this was the beginning of his reputation as a controversial artist. The painting was exhibited at the Centennial, not with the art - most of which is now forgotten - but with medical equipment. Watch the video »
From Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane
Thomas Eakins, Philadelphia's most famous artist, is the subject of a major exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Curators Darrell Sewell and Doug Paschall join Marty to talk about Eakins' paintings and photography, his life, and his contributions to art. Listen » (originally aired 10/12/02)
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